How to Cut Back Poinsettias?

The poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), a common sight on mantles and dining room tables during the Christmas season, was brought to the United States from Mexico in the 1820's by U.S. Ambassador Joel Roberts Poinsett. It blooms for several weeks and will bloom again if you cut it back just below its bright red modified leaves or bracts. Some time in March, the bracts shrivel and fall off, and you should see new shoots developing below them. Cutting the plant back will encourage more new shoots to grow from the leaf axils located on the old growth.

Newspapers
Pruning shears, scissors or sharp knife
Ruler
Larger pot
Potting soil

Instructions

- 1
  Place the potted poinsettia on newspapers spread across a solid work surface
- 2
  Identify all the old woody stems that produced flowers.
- 3
  Cut all the old stems back to roughly 4 to 6 inches from the surface of the soil, removing any new growth along with it.
- 4
  Leave up to three leaves on every old stem, as new leaves will grow from the spot where the leaf stems are attached to the main stem.
- 5
  Repot the plant if its roots have completely filled the bottom of the old pot or if the old plant was more than two-thirds the height of the old pot before being cut back.
- 6
  Place the poinsettia on a sunny windowsill in an area that is roughly 70 degrees F.
- 7
  Place the poinsettia outside once night temperature rises above 50 degrees F, and water it often.
- 8
  Prune the poinsettia again in early August by cutting it back to about 4 inches from the soil's surface, leaving up to three leaves on each branch.

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